Because You're My Brother
by Descole'sApprentice
Summary: What if there were only four beams of light to step into to to stop the Azran Golems? What if Descole didn't have enough strength to make it to step into the beams with them? Will Layton be able to resue Descole before the sanctuary crumbles? Azran Legacy AU one-shot.


**Thank you to those that supported my last story! (Lord Demon Satan and chloemcg)** **It is so heart warming to know there are still Layton fans out there 3**

 **Here's another old one I uploaded awhile. It's been updated a little bit. updated. Hopefully my next one will be a brand new one that's never been uploaded before! (Also, if I get enough support with the next couple stories, perhaps I will even get enough courage to upload the story I've written about "Descole's Apprentice") (It may or may not be a self-insertion...)**

Because You're My Brother

"Ngh..." I awoke and stood up, confused. I looked up to see Aurora.

"We're... we're alive!" Luke exclaimed. Emmy, Luke, Bronev, and I all needed to step into four beams of light and die to save humanity. But somehow, we were all alive now.

"Aurora? You saved us?" I asked.

"Through your selflessness, you have proved your worth to the Azran." Aurora smiled, "All the power and knowledge contained in these ruins is yours to do with as you please. May this gift of the Azran grant your people plenty and contentment."

I thought about this a minute, but then said, "Thank you, but I'm afraid we must decline. We do not need this gift."

"You... don't?" Aurora was confused.

I explained to her how I thought that we, the human race, should build our own future and let the Azran keep their treasures.

And with that being said, a tremor began within the sanctuary.

Aurora explained to us, "The Azran sanctuary has fulfilled its purpose, and so too have I. I thank you all." Aurora began to glow a golden color as her body began vanishing.

Luke begged for her to come with us, but she couldn't. She said her body would soon cease to function. I felt sorry for Luke; Aurora and he had formed such a unique friendship. We would all miss Aurora, but I'm afraid Luke would miss her the most. That's when I remembered: Descole was still inside. I had promised him, "I'll come back for you when it's over." By this point, the sanctuary began crumbling as it shook. It would be extremely dangerous to try to save Descole, but a true gentleman always keeps his word.

"You must go quickly." Aurora begged us.

"Luke, leave with Emmy and Bronev. I must go find Descole."

Emmy's mouth dropped open in bewilderment. "Professor, are you mad?! The sanctuary will crush you; it's suicide! I won't let you!"

"I have to do this, Emmy. I'll be careful, I promise." I started heading off, knowing I didn't have much time to find Descole.

"Professor, no!" Luke tried to follow after me, but Emmy restrained him.

"Come on, Luke... Let's go." I heard Emmy say sadly, right before I exited the room.

I ran through the crumbling rooms, losing my footing very often. It seemed the trembling was becoming worse by the second. I nearly was crushed by the ceiling caving in once, but I finally made it to the Chamber of Fire: the room that I had left Descole in. I looked around for a few seconds before I found Descole, his lower half trapped underneath a pile of rubble. He looked very weak and almost unconscious.

"Descole!" I exclaimed as I ran over to him.

"Y- you came back...?" Surprise could be heard in Descole's weak voice.

"Of course I did, Descole. A true gentl—" I stopped myself. "A true brother keeps his word," I said as I pulled some pieces off the pile of debris. Then I found what was keeping him from escaping. I attempted to pry the giant slab of wall from off of him. "What sort of— Ngh— brother would I be if- if I left you behind?" I pulled even harder.

"Layton, stop," Descole said, his voice breaking emotionally. "Get away from here! Agh... Save yourself... I'm not worth it," He closed his eyes.

"I won't leave you. I didn't come back all this way for nothing!" I pulled as hard as I possibly could. I pulled in vain for several seconds until it moved slightly. I dragged it off of Descole with all my might. I stumbled next to him as I tried to assist him in standing. He groaned in pain as I pulled his arm over my shoulders, but he was too weak to walk. With his hand that wasn't over my shoulder, he gripped my shoulder. I think it was more because of the pain he was in, not to support himself. He seemed to have no will to walk, almost like he wanted to give up. I still attempted to guide him. After about one slow, painful step, a sudden powerful jolt sent us both to the floor. We lost our grip on each other, and we were now lying on our sides, still facing each other. I sadly looked over at Descole as I lifted myself with my arms.

"L- Layton..." Descole muttered, too weak to even lift his head off of the ground. "y- you have to—agh— leave... without me. I'll only... slow you down."

I breathed heavily from exhaustion as I stared at him speechless. I didn't want to hear those words. I didn't want to admit it. I couldn't leave him behind to die. I felt an aching sadness build up inside me at the likely possibility that I wouldn't be able to get him out of here alive. The brother I never knew. The sight of him made me believe it even more. He was holding his side, and he was groaning in pain as he gasped for breath. He looked like he hadn't much time to live. He was going to die here, and it would be my fault because I couldn't help him. The guilt I would have to live with would be like Randall all over again. I couldn't leave without Descole.

"No," I said stubbornly as I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes. If he was going to die here, then I would die with him, but I wasn't giving up just yet. I used every last ounce of strength I had to lift him off the ground. He was light compared to the stone wall, but my arms had already used all their strength on the wall. I now solely trusted that adrenaline would provide the strength I needed to get us out of here. I stumbled to stay on my feet as I slowly carried Descole out of the sanctuary. I tripped several times, almost falling, but I somehow managed to stay on my feet.

Eventually, after several minutes that had felt like hours, I made it to a place where the wall had crumbled away. Using it as an exit, I made it onto a platform that began to gently fall towards the water.

I set Descole down carefully. He had fallen unconscious, and his pulse felt very weak. I now held him in the same position I did when he had first been injured in the Azran sanctuary. I took off his mask, hat, and boa for when we would land. He now looked like Desmond Sycamore. Surely police would be down there. Although the police would probably have their hands full with Bronev, I couldn't risk them arresting Descole. I'm sure he's been through even more than I know of, more than he could handle, and he doesn't deserve any more misfortune. That was more than enough of a punishment for him. To think that all the misery he went through in his life was in my place... He could have lived his life happily as Hershel Layton, but he gave it to me instead. A tear rolled off my face at that thought. After that first tear, they were impossible to keep back. I wept over Descole's lifeless body as we slowly descended. I couldn't stop thinking about the incidents inside the sanctuary... especially the one discovering Descole was my brother. Not only that Descole was, but to find out that the man I traveled the world with was my brother... and he saved Luke's life... but why? He seemed to think of Luke as a pest, but then he put Luke's life before his own... why? I didn't really care to know the answer right then, all I wanted to know was whether or not my brother would be all right.

~Descole's POV~

"Ugh..." I grimaced as I awoke in terrible pain. Not only was my head spinning and pounding, but my abdomen was in excruciating pain, worse than anything I had ever felt before.

"Desc- Desmond?" I heard my brother correct himself. I didn't care what he called me; I'm not even certain who I am anymore. I opened my eyes, squinting as my eyes adjusted to the brightly lit hospital room. I looked up at Layton to see him looking down at me with eyes full of concern. "Are you all right?" He asked.

"No..." I merely groaned in response.

"I can understand that," Layton said solemnly. "You're lucky to be alive. You received severe second degree burns from the Azran guardian that struck you. You also acquired a few other minor injuries, but the doctors say you should make a full recovery."

I nodded. I shifted uncomfortably and moved my hand over my aching abdomen. Ugh, it felt like someone had cut into my stomach a million times then set it on fire. I felt like writhing around, but I was too weak and sore to do so. I just wanted to drift off into a peaceful state of unconsciousness where I would be free of pain.

"I can see you're not feeling up to talking. You need your rest, I'll let you sleep," Layton stood up from his chair next to my bed and began to leave.

"No! Don't leave!" I let slip out without realizing I had said it. Why must I be so pitiful sometimes? I must remind myself to punish myself later for that weak plea of help.

Layton stopped and turned back around. "What is it?" He asked sympathetically.

I didn't know exactly what to say. Not only did I hate telling others (especially my brother) what was on my mind, but I wasn't really able to keep the truth from him anymore anyway. I sighed shakily as I said pitifully, "I- I just... I just don't want to be left alone again."

Layton looked a little shocked. I wasn't certain why, but I supposed he was surprised to hear those words come from my mouth, Jean Descole, the man who was used to being alone. Although I could feel that he understood me, I felt the need to explain further.

"When you left me alone in the Azran sanctuary... I thought I was going to die. I feared we all would, knowing that the Azran legacy was such a terrible curse. I- I'm just not ready to be alone again... not after that. It was all so nightmarish..."

Layton closed his eyes, "I'm not ready to be alone either. Everything happened so quickly... all the destruction. Being alone isn't comfortable at the moment."

I sighed of relief, "Yes. I'm glad you understand. Besides, I wouldn't get any rest with this pain. Please, stay. We'll talk," I didn't really feel like talking, seeing as each word I said sent more pain throughout my body, but I'd rather talk than be left alone. Even though talking was painful for me, it was worth it to hear to my brother's voice. It was comforting beyond words to listen to my brother speak.

"All right. I'd like that. I... I need to ask you something." Layton said, returning to his seat.

"What is it?" I asked weakly. Ugh, why does my voice have to sound just as helpless as I truly am?

"I... I want to know why you saved Luke. Luke is so small that if he would have gotten struck by the Azran guardian... it would have killed him. You two were bickering the entire time inside we were in the sanctuary. I know you think he's a nuisance, so why did you put your life before his?"

I looked away from him. I knew that because of this act of kindness, I no longer was Jean Descole. I told Layton while still looking away, "I know Luke is like a son to you, and I... I know the pain of losing a child." My voice began to tremble as I looked back towards him, "When I saw the statue begin to glow... I didn't have much time to think... but there was one thing I knew for certain. I knew I didn't want my brother to feel the same horrible, constant pain that I feel every day and night of my miserable life."

Layton's face saddened. I knew he was pitying me, but I didn't care anymore. I know how pitiful I really am. Layton closed his eyes as he said, "I'm so sorry... Thank you... so much for saving him," My brother paused. "I want to ask another question, if I may."

"Yes?"

"Where will you go once you recover?"

I didn't know how to respond to that at first. "I don't know," I said. "I suppose I'll travel around in the Bostonius with Raymond."

"Oh," Layton sounded disappointed. Why would he be disappointed?

"What?" I asked.

Layton let out a long breath. "It's just... I know this sounds quite odd, but... I'll miss you. We've been traveling together these past couple months... perhaps I'm just not ready to say goodbye yet."

The thing was, he wasn't actually traveling with me. "But you were traveling with Desmond Sycamore... not me. I don't even have the slightest idea of who I am anymore."

"Desmond, Descole, or otherwise, I will miss your company."

I was surprised he was still arguing the matter. I was a criminal. My voice began to falter once again. "But... W- why? I've tried to kill you, Layton. You should be relieved at my leaving. Why would you miss me?"

"Because... you're my brother," Hershel explained.

I didn't know what to say. Even after all I had done to him, and yet he said that. Overwhelming emotions overtook me. The emotions felt as if they were choking my voice, making me sound even more pitiful than before. "I don't understand. How could you still think of me as a brother after everything I did?" I asked.

"It's simple. I forgave you, Descole."

The words I wanted to say wouldn't come out of mouth. After a while, I found my words, "After everything I put you through... how could you forgive me?"

"Everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what they've done," Layton said.

I felt tears fighting their way out as the emotions arose within me even more, "Not everyone. I don't. I deserve to be dead. In fact, dying isn't a horrible enough punishment for what I've done to you in the past," My voice quivered worse than ever as I spoke, "I deserve to suffer, as I do now."

"Enough, Descole!" Layton scolded me. "No one deserves this. I don't understand what you think you did to me that was so horrible that I wouldn't be able to forgive you."

How could he think it was not horrible? "I chased you relentlessly with mechanical monsters, threatened to hurt you and your loved ones, and even attempted to kill you."

"That's all in the past. It's time to move on. I have moved on, and you need to also and forgive yourself. Now, I must ask why must you are so intent upon leaving."

I couldn't tell him. He would be able to tell if I was lying... There was no way out of this. I tried to think of a good enough excuse that he would accept, but I knew he would only take the truth. I sighed, "It seems like every time I get close with someone... something cruelly rips them away from me. I know it's ridiculous, but I've already lost my wife, daughter, father, and mother. I thought I had lost my brother, but it happens that he is still with me. But if I stay here, some tragic fate is bound to befall him. I don't want him to be taken away, he's the only family I have left."

My brother was speechless. It was several of seconds until he spoke again. I assumed that he was speechless due to the fact that I actually did care about him. But it was true. As Descole, I was driven by hate and anger. I didn't actually hate my brother... but it seemed like Layton did not know that.

"Running away from the problem won't solve it," My brother told me. "Your superstitious way of thinking about this is flawed. They were all taken from you by Targent, correct?"

"Well... yes," I answered.

"Targent has been put to rest. You needn't worry anymore," Layton explained.

"What?! Agh-" I almost jumped out of the bed in shock, but fell back in pain, still tense.

"Be careful. I apologize, I should have told you sooner; but yes, thanks to Scotland Yard, Targent is no more. They arrested Bronev, and found the Nest."

I sank into the bed, feeling safe and secure, "I can't believe this. It's far too good to be true," I had never felt anything quite like the wave of relief I experienced after hearing those words.

Layton smiled slightly as he let out a breath, "I can imagine what a relief it must be to you, them being an enemy to you for your entire life..." Layton said. It was as if he could see how relieved I truly was. I had nothing more to say. Targent was gone. My worries were over.

"So will you stay?" Layton asked hopefully, waiting for my answer.

"All right. I still would like to get out and see the world, but... I suppose I do need to make up for the time I lost with my little brother," I smiled.

Layton smiled as well. "I hoped you would say that."

 **\- Hope you liked it, please let me know if you'd be interested in reading the story about m— I mean, Descole's apprentice. ;)**


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